Cooling System for Single and Multi-Bay EV Structural Batteries

Abstract

In a battery pack for use in an electric vehicle at least two longitudinal rows of prismatic battery cells extend side-by side in the length direction (L). The cells are packed in an array including transverse rows. The array has longitudinal sides. Plate-shaped cooling members are interposed between adjacent cells in the longitudinal rows and extend in the width direction (W) from an upstream longitudinal side to the opposite longitudinal side of the array. Each plate-shaped cooling member is connected with an inlet to a coolant distribution duct and with an outlet to a coolant outflow duct. The distribution duct and the outflow duct extend parallel to sill members. The distribution duct is connected to a supply duct and the outflow duct is connected to a return duct, the supply duct and the return duct extending through the front piece and/or the transverse member.

1 . A battery pack for use in an electric vehicle, the battery pack comprising:
 a transverse front piece and a transverse member that each extend in a width direction (W) and that are interconnected by two spaced-apart sill members extending in a length direction (L),   at least two longitudinal rows of prismatic battery cells extending side-by-side in the length direction (L), the cells being packed in an array comprising transverse rows, the array having longitudinal sides, and   plate-shaped cooling members being interposed between adjacent cells in the longitudinal rows and extending in the width direction (W) from a first longitudinal side to a second longitudinal side of the array, each plate-shaped cooling member being connected with an inlet to a coolant distribution duct and with an outlet to a coolant outflow duct,   the distribution duct and the outflow duct extending parallel to the sill members, the distribution duct being connected to a coolant supply duct and the outflow duct being connected to a return duct, the coolant supply duct and the return duct extending through the front piece and/or through the transverse member.   
     
     
         2 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein a cooling member is provided between each pair of adjacent transverse rows of cells. 
     
     
         3 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein a cooling member is provided between each second pair of adjacent transverse rows of cells. 
     
     
         4 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein the front piece and the transverse member exert a compressive force of 20 to 200 kN/m2 on the cells in the length direction. 
     
     
         5 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet duct is connected to the distribution duct at or near a midpoint of the distribution duct. 
     
     
         6 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein a cooling member is provided between the transverse front piece and an adjacent transverse row of cells and between the transverse member and an adjacent transverse row of cells. 
     
     
         7 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance (d) between the longitudinal sides of the array and the sill members in the width direction (W) is 5 cm to 25 cm, the coolant inlet duct and the coolant return duct extending between the longitudinal sides of the array and the sill members. 
     
     
         8 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein the transverse member comprises a beam or a foot garage, and a rear transverse piece interconnecting the rear parts of the sill members,
 wherein a first array of cells is situated between the front transverse member and the beam or foot garage, a second array of cells is situated between the beam or foot garage and the rear transverse piece, each array of cells being provided with respective cooling members, coolant inlet and distribution ducts and outflow and return ducts, the inlet and return ducts of the first array and the second array of cells extending through the front transverse piece and the beam or foot garage.   
     
     
         9 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein each cooling member comprises two parallel plates with an end cap, having two lateral tube sections, the tube sections being interconnected to form the distribution duct. 
     
     
         10 . The battery pack according to  claim 9 , wherein the lateral tube sections of adjacent cooling members are interconnected via a flexible tube member respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The battery pack according to  claim 9 , wherein a support structure is arranged between the two parallel plates of at least one of the cooling members. 
     
     
         12 . The battery pack according to  claim 1 , wherein a distribution cooling member is provided with an end part having an attachment part extending substantially parallel to the plate members and a cover that is in liquid-tight engagement with the attachment part for forming a receiving chamber, and a connector stub for connecting to the inlet duct. 
     
     
         13 . A cooling member for a battery pack, the cooling member comprising:
 two parallel plate members,   two end caps being arranged substantially parallel to the plate members, being in liquid-tight connection with the plate members and being joined in a liquid-tight manner along a perimeter, and   a tube section extending on each side of the end caps, transversely to a plane of the plate members and being adapted to be connected to a neighboring tube section for forming a distribution duct with neighboring cooling members.   
     
     
         14 . A cooling member for a battery pack, the cooling member comprising:
 two parallel plate members,   two end caps, being in liquid-tight connection with the plate members, wherein at least one end cap has an attachment part extending substantially parallel to the plate members, and a cover that is in liquid-tight engagement with the attachment part for forming a receiving chamber, and   a connector stub for connecting to the inlet duct.   
     
     
         15 . A cooling system for a battery pack comprising at least one cooling member of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         16 . A cooling system for a battery pack comprising at least one cooling member of  claim 14 . 
     
     
         17 . An electric vehicle comprising the battery pack of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a battery pack for an electric vehicle, the method comprising:
 forming an array of at least two rows of prismatic battery cells extending side-by side in the length direction (L) and plate-shaped cooling members, that are placed between adjacent cells and extend in the width direction (W), from an upstream longitudinal side to the opposite longitudinal side of the array, the cells being arranged in transverse rows, and the array having longitudinal sides,   clamping the array between a transverse front piece and a transverse member extending in a width direction (W) in order to compress the array,   interconnecting the transverse front piece and the transverse member via two sill members extending along each longitudinal side, and   connecting the cooling members to a coolant supply duct and a coolant return duct, that extend through the transverse front piece and/or through the transverse member.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein prior to the connection of the sill members, the cooling members are interconnected via flexible tube segments.